VILNIUS - With summer approaching and hot weather gradually descending on Lithuania, the fever of Cuban salsa fills the clubs of Vilnius. May 18 - 20 has been officially designated salsa weekend in the capital 's that's when the nation's very first salsa festival, appropriately titled "First Salsa Festival in Lithuania Vilnius 2007," takes place. Though Lithuanians may not be quite so hot blooded as their Cuban hermanos, salsa is definitely making inroads in this country, and three days and nights of dance will be enough to give anyone a taste of the rhythm.
The festival is open to anyone who enjoys the music and dance of Latin America, beginners as well as professionals. Even those who haven't taken their first salsa steps are welcome to come to the three special evening parties at the "Tamsta" and "Woo" nightclubs, where they will be able to listen to the music and see if the salsa takes over their feet. If you're not sure of your dance ability, you can just come and watch the other dancers. It's a good bet that the power of the rhythm will help overcome your shyness.
On May 18 the crowd will get the chance to see performances by the salsa teachers and professional dancers. May 19 is the big day of the "Grand KISS Salsa Party," where Lithuania's only salsa ensemble, "Salsa Orchestra," will entertain the public and keep the atmosphere hot. And May 20 is the night when DJs demonstrate their abilities to spin vinyl and do salsa.
The festival also features as many as 50 salsa workshops where professionals from all over the world will show even the beginners how to feel more confident about their moves. The workshops will be divided into four levels so everyone can find the right ones to join. And don't worry if you can't find a partner for the weekend 's with salsa you can dance with as many partners as you like once you learn the steps. Salsa is a social dance, so it's important to be flexible and to communicate with others through your moves.
Though salsa culture is more developed in Latvia and Estonia, which have already been hosting annual salsa festivals and have quite a circle of followers, Lithuanians are quickly catching up with the fever.
"We hope that this salsa festival will attract more interest from the public and will spread the moves of salsa among people," says Ieva Dadurkaite, one of the festival's organizers. Even if this festival won't be anything like the carnival in Rio, it might still create a revolution in the salsa tradition in Lithuania.
True, most of the dance schools in Lithuania include salsa in their programs, but once you learn the steps, there aren't many places where you can show your stuff. Apart from private parties organized by the schools and the occasional thematic parties in clubs, there really is no place where you can simply pop in and know salsa will be on no matter what. Who knows, maybe this salsa festival will change that.
But for now this festival weekend is the best thing going for those who want to feel the power of salsa.
For more info, see
www.salsafestival.lt.
Tickets: www.tiketa.lt.
